Reducing sugar in black coffee - help!

[FrodoBiggins]

I've always drunk black coffee with one sugar, it's my favourite drink by a mile. Have about 8 a day (!)

But I have rubbish teeth and also might need to lose a few kg, so want to reduce/quit the sugar. Loads of people told me that if you gradually reduce to none, you'll get used to it and coffee with sugar will taste horrible and too sweet.

I have been trying with half a sugar but it just tastes crap. Has anyone successfully quit and how did you do it? How long till it tastes nice again?

It took a long time for me but I was cutting down from 2 sugars. I used proper measuring spoons and went down to 1.5 tsp, then 1, then .5. I did a year at each stage as I found 6 weeks wasn't enough, but don't miss it now.

Not sure how you’re making your coffee, but if it’s fresh could you try a different type of coffee to see if you prefer that. Ethiopian coffees can be naturally sweeter, or maybe you’d prefer the taste of a honey processed or washed coffee? But cold turkey might work better - or maybe it will never work and having fewer coffees that you like will be better than a poor substitute.

Hmm that's interesting. I use an espresso machine, and normally use pretty standard Italian beans (illy or lavazza) and don't really like the fruity coffee you get in a lot of independent places, but perhaps the bitterness of my usual choice doesn't work for me without the sugar! I will experiment, thank you.

Thanks I am sure I'll be in it for the long haul too, it's been a few months now and half still tastes like crap ha ha

@UnaOfStormhold
Thanks I am sure I'll be in it for the long haul too, it's been a few months now and half still tastes like crap ha ha

I think I would try a combination of reducing the sugar a little bit, and reducing the number you drink. So if your norm is 8 per day, drink 7 for a month, then 6 and replace it with a water or decaff tea. Remember that much caffeine is terrible for heart health and so on.

at the same time drop two sugars down to 1 3/4, or maybe even 1 plus a sweetener like stevia.

remember you are addicted to both the sugar and the caffeine.

I'm not interested in reducing how much coffee I drink, thanks, I don't think it's bad for my heart, I have very healthy BP and while I am definitely addicted to it, it's pretty much a harmless addiction. I drink less at the weekend, perhaps 4 cups a day. I just want to kick the sugar!
Wish I got on with stevia but I hate fake sweetener taste even more than sugarless coffee! 🙈

Ok this is a left field suggestion and you're going to think I'm a complete nut job but instead of sugar try a grind of salt.

I've got POTS and cardiologist told me one way to help symptoms was add more salt to my diet (my BP is also ok) and adding it to my (forbidden) morning coffee sounded like a better plan than drinking a glass of salt water first thing.

I know it sounds like it shouldn't work but with L'Or at least it takes the edge off the coffee's bitterness a bit. Definitely tastes better than Stevia/canderel and all that jazz.

I did it by getting my usual spoonful of sugar and taking a pinch off, increasing the size of the pinch every few days.

A drop of vanilla extract does the job for me. I don't take sugar but I like the warmth of vanilla flavour in my first cup of the day and then it's sugar free after that.

I haven't a clue if the extract contains sugar or not! Must check... I drink decaff Azeera instant (it's the only one I can stomach). No caffeine for me as it sets off heart arrythmia.

Ooo I love salt I will try this!!

Can you report back and let me know if it works for you please or if I'm just a weirdo?

I have a bun with my coffee so I relish the bitterness of it without any sugar.

8 buns a day won't help much with losing weight though.

Try honey as a natural alternative to processed sugar?

Azeera instant is the only decaf I like.

Have your usual 8 a day but make them half cups with half a spoon of sugar. Have a glass of cold water on the side to drink. Once you are the point where this is your habit, swap two of the 8 for another drink with no sugar. Some of the white or green teas -e.g. white tea with jasmine or rose are quite sweet tasting and with or without one of those flower flavourings are not bitter,

Ah I have quite small coffees already, a double or single espresso with a bit extra hot water in a small cup! I do have water on the side. I love mint tea and jasmine tea and can drink them with no sugar already, agree they are nice without!

I don't think swapping for honey is any better for teeth or weight, it's all sugar.

Have you tried xylitol

Can you do it with a tiny splash of oat milk? It’s a bit sweet (I use the light blue Oatly stuff) and, crucially, according to some such study I once read, sort of “protects” against the acidity on your teeth. I imagine it’s some sort of chemical reaction film - a bit like how you shouldn’t take some meds and dairy together.

Crucially, for an americano, oat milk is so frigging thin it doesn’t give a milky taste or texture at all

If cutting down slowly hasn't helped, what about cold turkey? Sweet flavour spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg? Sticking to only having it after a meal or snack would mean you have already got more saliva from the chewing to protect your teeth. This would mean cutting down from 8, or having a mix of sugar ones with meals and sugar free otherwise.

Would you consider just going cold turkey?

I’ve never been able to taper anything successfully. I suspect now that it’s because I am adhd. But the misery of no sugar isn’t actually hugely worse than enduring the misery of not quite enough sugar.

I have espresso with no sugar. When I was a teen I’d have two sugars in tea and coffee. I think I gradually cut down and just got used to it. DH has sugar and if I accidentally sip his it’s disgustingly sweet! Maybe go cold turkey. Won’t take long.

This is true. The body treats it as glucose.

I drink tea and prefer 2 sugars, but I can drink it without. Generally because I’ve forgotten to add the sugar and can’t be arsed to go and get the sugar.
Is there anyway you can handle drinking coffee without the sugar?